Familar Stranger
by BoredWeirdo430
Summary: The gang is in 8th grade when a face from the past shows up. Will her presence bring joy or something else? I wrote this at 3am so I'm not sure if its good or not. Just tell me what you think. HERE's CHAPTER 7 ENJOY!!!
1. Nicknames and Memories

NOTE TO READERS: Ok I changed the beginning of this story, I didn't like the way I had it before, so its different. Tell me what you think. Ok...I'm gonna go try and think of a way to continue the other story. Tell me what you think. ******I don't own anything****  
  
"That top is great, you look hot. Did you see the new hip-huggers at..."  
  
At times like these I usually tune out of the conversation. Although my closest friends consist of two girls, clothes rarely catch my interest, which most 8th grade girls seemed taken with. After entering forth period, math with Mr. Pescitu, I scanned the room for three available seats near each other. Lizzie and Miranda, the only people in the world that I trust, finally sat down side-by-side. While taking a seat directly in front of them, I took out my math book and looked over my homework.  
  
"Settle down class, now lets begin...." Mr. Pescitu began, but I tuned out immediately. I had already read through the entire math text book and understood it perfectly, so there was nothing left to do, but relax and wait for a pop quiz.  
  
After I was satisfied with my homework I looked around the room for something to entertain my wondering mind. There was the usual, Kate Sanders, cheerleading captain and most popular girl in school, re-appling her make-up again and again. Claire was next to her, obviously mocking those she felt were less superior than her, which meant all, but Kate. Ethan Craft, most popular guy in school, but it was obvious it was for his looks and not his brain, as he became hypnotized by a floating dust speck. Then in the corner, away from everyone, was Danielle Marticucci. She had already been in this school for five months, but hadn't spoken to a soul.  
  
There was a chill in the October air when she walked into my class for the first time. Her hair, her features, and her past were not something I was interested in then. Danielle was just an ordinary girl that came to a new school to me, until my eyes fell on her crystal blue eyes. While everyone wondered about her past, I realized I already knew.  
  
***** Second-grader David Gordon sat down at the benches and took out his spelling book. It was recess once again and everyone was off playing games and having fun, everyone but him. David quickly stole a glance at the only friends he had, Kate, Lizzie, and Miranda. They were playing hopscotch, but when he asked to join in they giggled and taunted, "Boy's don't play hopscotch, silly. Why don't you play dodgeball with the boys?" He didn't even bother asking to play with them. It was David's goal to avoid as much mocking as possible, so he sat on the benches and started his homework, like he did every recess.  
  
"Oh look, its "smarty pants." David looked up, George, the leader of a few bullies, was teasing him again. David shook his head and returned to his book once more. "Yo, I'm talking to you!" George seemed frustrated and since he had the attention span of a peanut, he left.  
  
"Don't let him get to you?" A voice near David spoke.  
  
"Don't worry, I have learned that he is just an insignificant speck, that will spend his future years asking do you want fries with that and contemplating what went wrong?" David answered with a smirk as he looked up into the face full of confusion. "My parents are both shrinks." She seemed to understand after that.  
  
"Oh ok...well hi, I'm Dannie."  
  
"Danny? Isn't that a boy's name?"  
  
"No, not Danny with an 'y' I spell it with 'ie. Its short for Danielle. I made it up myself, everyone needs a nickname. There are 3 Danielle's in our class, with Dannie, I'm more original."  
  
"Oh, well my names David Gordon." Suddenly David seemed embarrassed for not having one of those nicknames. "But, I want a nickname."  
  
Danielle began to think out loud, trying to find the perfect name. "Well, there are 4 David's in our class. Lets see. Dave? No, that wont do. Davey? Nah. Hmmmm..." David was impatient now, he needed a nickname. Five minutes passed and finally she spoke again, "I've got it, the perfect name. Since we cant find a shorter term for your first name, we'll go to your last. How about Gordo?"  
  
David didn't seem impressed, "Well, its good for now, but lets work on it."  
  
****** "Gordo? Gordo?!?" I looked around the almost empty classroom and wondered where everyone had disappeared to. Looking up, I saw Lizzie and Miranda. They had been calling me to tell me the bell had rung. As I stood up to gather my books together, I notice Danielle walking towards the door, but before she reached it, I could have sworn her eyes glanced at me, even if just for a second. Maybe it was just my imagination, or maybe...  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: So was it good???? Bad???? Other????? 


	2. The Assignment

NOTE TO READERS: Ok here's the second chapter, if you read the first chapter a while back, you will have to reread it, because I changed it a lot. I'm probably going to update soon for this one, I already have a good idea of what to have the next chapter be about. I'm trying to think of ideas for "You've Got Me, Baby," but it seems like a loss cause, if you have any suggestions, leave me a note on it, thanks. *****i don't own a thing*****  
  
"Class, I have a surprise you for..." Mr. Diggs seemed more excited than the students, which was a usual occurrence, ever since he became our permanent English teacher, when Mrs. Staggen decided to become a stay at home mother. He wasn't just a substitute anymore and was ecstatic about it. Now he got to prepare the lesson and whenever he said he had a surprise, it always meant a new project. "Ok I have a new project for you.."  
  
"I already have enough homework!" Miranda complained.  
  
"Ok, now for this project you will have to be in a group of two. I will assigned the groups." Mr. Diggs continued, but was rudely interrupted my "miss perfect" Kate.  
  
"Ok, well, Mr. Diggs, those rules are so totally not for me. I'm so not working with one these 'little people.' Its just like not going to happen."  
  
"Miss Sanders, I'm sorry you feel that way, but its MY assignment, and MY rules, so you'll have to follow them." Kate immediately took her seat, but shot to him an evil glare. Mr. Diggs didn't seemed too phased by this. "Ok for the project, your goal will be to express what Jr. High is really about, to you. Since there will be two of you, I expect there to be TWO opinions on the matter. You will present your final projects to the class. There are no set requirements for this project, I want you to be as creative as you choose. Except you must have presentation that is at least 5 minutes long, and there must be some sort of visual aid, along with a talk about it. Are there any questions?"  
  
No hands were raised. I noticed Mr. Diggs was staring straight at me, I guess I have been known to ask a lot of questions. He seemed surprised my hand stood down and continued on.  
  
"All right, the partners with be Larry Tudgeman with Miranda Sandchez."  
  
Miranda sunk down deeper and deeper into her seat. Larry was beaming with delight. He was not someone Miranda, or anyone wanted to be paired with. It really didn't matter to me, he was just another kid in school, weird at most times, but that just meant he didn't want to follow the crowd.  
  
"All right Elizabeth McGuire with Kate Sanders."  
  
"No, not Kate." Lizzie sighed. I could see she was upset. Kate used to be Miranda and Lizzie's best friend, until she felt she had become too "superior" to spend times with the likes of them.  
  
"Ok Ethan Craft, you will be with Claire..." Mr. Diggs couldn't finish her full name because she had already squeaked with delight. Then gave everyone else a look meaning "I'm working with him, not you. So there."  
  
"Ok David Gordon, I want you paired with..." It seemed he had thought about this decision for a while before deciding on a final idea. "...with Danielle Martucci." ~~~~~~~~ "I cant believe he paired me with...her! Its not fair." Lizzie complained as we sat down at our usual lunch table.  
  
"At least its not Larry." Miranda joined in on the whining.  
  
I would have joined in too, but I wasn't sure if I had any complaining to do. My eyes fluttered around the cafeteria full of wild teenagers laughing about, until they stopped on those crystal blue eyes I knew so long ago.  
  
Danielle was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, alone, like she always did. Her headphones were on and her nose in a book. Even though there was a past between us, I still hadn't said a word to her since she moved back. I planned on doing it, but somehow found an excuse each time. She probably didn't even remember who I was, it was a long time ago. Now I had a reason to go over to Danielle, but what was stopping me. I had to do it, just to see if she remembered.  
  
"I'll be back in a minute, I'm going to talk to Dannie, I mean Danielle, about the project." Lizzie and Miranda seemed awed.  
  
"You're actually going to talk to her?" Lizzie questioned.  
  
"She'll just ignore you, like she does everyone else." Miranda added. I ignored them, although I knew they were right, I went over to her anyway.  
  
"Ummm...hi I'm...we're in the same class...." Ok, come Gordo, breath, you can do this, and just breath, kept running through my mind. Why was I so nervous? "Ok, we have to do the English project together and I was wondering when you wanted to get together to work on it."  
  
Danielle didn't look up, but I noticed her turning the volume up on her diskman. Reaching over, I pulled down her headphones, so I would be sure she'd hear me. Her eye roll insinuated that she didn't want to be bothered. She quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper and forced it into my view. It simple said "LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
How could she do this, after what we've been through? I've been known to have a short temper. "Look, you may not want to work with me on this project, but unfortunately, you don't have a choice. After this project is done and over with, we can go our separate ways, and your path will prove that you are nothing but an insignificant speck, that will spend your future years asking do you want fries with that and contemplating what went wrong?!" The last part seemed to hit Danielle harder than the rest. I felt her eyes on the back of my neck while walking back to Lizzie and Miranda.  
  
"So? What happened?" Lizzie asked, breaking the silence as I sat down. I just shook my head and they understood.  
  
Just then a folded piece of paper flew onto my lunch tray. Looking up, I saw Danielle walking past me. Unfolding the paper, I read the note aloud.  
  
"Hey, Ok, maybe I was a little rude, sorry. Meet me by my locker after school. There is much to discuss. ~Danielle, I mean Dannie~ P.S. Come alone, please."  
  
"Wait, did you say Dannie?" Lizzie spoke in shock. "The same Dannie, from elementary school?"  
  
"I had no idea it was her." Miranda added in. "I'm SO sorry you have to work with her, I mean the way she treated us, she was such a...."  
  
"Bitch!!" Miranda and I looked at Lizzie, surprised. She never cursed, unless she was mad beyond belief. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? You both know its true, she's nothing but a self-centered, BITCH!! Don't you remember that day."  
  
Oh, yes. The infamous day back then, when life as I had known it, ended.  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: so did you like it? tell me what you think. Thanks. 


	3. What Almost Was

NOTE TO READERS: Ok well, I updated. YAY. I hope you like it. Tell me what you think. ***i own nothing*****  
  
"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Miranda asked, concerned.  
  
Although it seemed like a great suggestion and I wanted to jump at the chance, I decided against it. "The note said come alone." This was something I had to do on my own.  
  
After taking a deep breath, I approached Dannie's locker, praying she wouldn't send me away as a cruel joke. Her eyes were bright and her smile was big, until her vision shifted quickly to the left; then she filled with hurt and mistrust. Turning in the direction her eyes had went, I could see Lizzie and Miranda, glaring at her, obviously making Dannie uncomfortable. I turned back to apology for their behavior, but she was already gone and walking down the hall.  
  
"Dannie!!!" I yelled through the crowd over and over again, but it did no good. I started to run, trying to catch her. Unfortunately, I caught a low hanging tree branch instead.  
  
"Gordo? Are you all right?" The voice seemed close, but also out of reach. Although my vision was blurred for the moment, the voice led me to the figures true identity.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Dannie." She pulled me off the cold grass as I spoke. After I was up and my vision cleared, I followed her down the street to an unknown destination. There were so many questions running through my mind to ask, but she beat me to it.  
  
"So you kept the nickname. Whatever happened to working on it?" Dannie giggled.  
  
"How are you positive I kept it? I could have changed my name, or just go by David now, and you wouldn't even know it." I answered, defensively.  
  
Dannie didn't seem to want to tell me why as she whispered, "I saw it in your movie."  
  
"My movie????"  
  
"Yeah." She continued, louder this time. "It was called 'Gordo's Files' and it was this whole hidden camera thing."  
  
That film had been a popular one of my many, showing all the popular kids revealing secrets. It had won first place in the 'State's Young Directors Competition' (SYDC) and went on to nationals. Sadly, it was only named second in the country, not first. They had shown the video to my entire school, which led some of the people on it to resent me, but it didn't phase me too much. How could she have seen it then?  
  
"Since one of the top five finalists for best in the country went to my school in New York, they showed the student body all five of them. I thought yours was very good." Dannie continued.  
  
"Uh...thanks."  
  
"I never thought you were going to ACTUALLY become a director. I was really surprised when I saw it."  
  
Dannie's last comment quickly became a key that unlocked a memory, I had almost completely forgotten.  
  
*********  
  
"This is SO stupid." Fourth-grader Gordo said to Dannie. Finding a different nickname for David hadn't been an easy task. He kept changing his mind every week. This week he went by simply "D." Although Miranda, Lizzie, and Kate were open to the changes, Dannie refused to call him anything besides Gordo.  
  
It was another Friday night, which meant "Movie Night" for two close friends. Dannie and "D" were sitting on her downstairs couch, watching a movie, a romance to be more specific. Lizzie, Miranda, and Kate weren't invited, as usual. Ever since "D" had met Dannie they had been inseparable. The others were best friends with each other and were hardly friends with "D" anymore, but he didn't seem to mind, as long as he had Dannie, things were fine.  
  
"Let me say once again, this is SO stupid."  
  
"Yeah I know!" Dannie said as she pressed the stop button on the VCR. "Sorry, my older cousin came over last weekend with it and she said it was really good. I guess you should never rely on 14 year olds to pick you're movies."  
  
"Those dumb love movies get me annoyed. I mean, they have no plot, at all."  
  
"I know Gordo, but what do you suggest we do about it, become directors and make our own movies?"  
  
They both giggled at this, and searched for a different movie to watch. Dannie turned to D about to say something and he saw this, but she remained silent.  
  
"What?" D asked.  
  
"Nah nevermind, its not important." D began to pester Dannie at this statement, trying to find out what the mystery was. Finally she couldn't take anymore. "Ok, I'll tell you, but first you have to promise to get rid of that ridiculous nickname?"  
  
"But..hey.....alright, I guess it is pretty retarded. I guess I'm back to Gordo for now." He said a little depressed.  
  
"All right, well, when my cousin was here, she had a boy over. Well, I was bored and nothing was on TV so I came down here to spy on them. Guess what they were doing?"  
  
Gordo's eyes gleamed in anticipation's as he spoke, "WHAT?!"  
  
"They were...they were...." Dannie began trying to keep the suspense up. "They were kissing, on the lips."  
  
"EWWW, GROSS!" They both replied in unison.  
  
"Well, did she like it?" Gordo asked.  
  
"Umm..I'm not sure, but she didn't look like she hated it too much." Dannie said, not sure what this was leading up to.  
  
"Well," Gordo gulped and began once again, nervously, "Why don't we try it? I mean if it looked like fun."  
  
The room fell to complete silence. You could hear the pounding of Gordo's nervous heart as he avoided making eye contact with her.  
  
"Ok, I guess."  
  
They were kneeling on the floor directly in front of each other, face to face. They closed their eyes and leaned in. Unfortunately, their aim was bad. Instead of their lips touching, his cheek bumped into her forehead. They opened their eyes and giggled, then returned to their movie hunt.  
  
*********  
  
This memory didn't just unlock the past, it unlocked many questions I had left unanswered for a while. Although it was a relief when the kiss had not actually happened, I realized I was also somewhat disappointment. What would have happened if we hadn't missed?  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: OK tell me what you think. Its 4 am right now, so I must be going. Bye for now. 


	4. What Shouldn't Have Happened

"So, do you plan on following me the whole way?"  
  
Dannie's voice brought me back the reality that we were still walking to an unknown destination. "That depends, where are we going?"  
  
"Right over there." Dannie pointed towards the soccer field at the Elementary school. "I have to go to work. You know the fifth and sixth grade soccer team?" I didn't have to answer, she just continued on. "Well, I'm the assistant coach."  
  
"The assistant coach? How did you end up with that job?"  
  
"Well," Dannie began frustrated, as if she had told this tale a million times before. "At the beginning of the year the original coach for that team quit, and they haven't found a replacement. So Coach Colons, the Jr. High coach, had to take that job over. They practice together and everything, but Colons only coaches the seventh and eighth graders, so I do the rest. Its not a bad job, and the pay is decent."  
  
"Oh," The whole ordeal didn't interest me. "Wait, the soccer team? Lizzie's little brother is on that." Suddenly I wished to turn the clock back. Why did I have to mention her name? Dannie would be furious with me now, or so I thought.  
  
"Yeah I know Matt. That kid is great."  
  
Soon after we arrived at the field, practice began. There were about 20 kids under Dannie's control, but she seemed to handle it well. As they practiced kicking, positions, passing, and scoring, I stood on the bleachers not too far away. Not wanting to get in the way, I just watch, Dannie mostly, her hair, up in a messy ponytail, clothes, eyes, and many other places. But mostly, I was thinking of our past, the fun times, the sad times, and the life changing ones.  
  
Dannie ended the practice, with Coach Colon's permission, at 4:30. After all the equipment was packed away she headed towards the bleachers, near me.  
  
"Ok, now I can go..." A distant ringing cut off Dannie. I watch her pull out a cell phone from her bag and walk a few feet away.  
  
"Gordo, my man, what are you doing here?" Turning around I discovered a very muddy Matt. Apparently he had a messy practice. He placed his hand in mid air and I quickly gave him a high-five. Although he was the annoying little brother to my best friend, he was like a kid brother to me. Never having a little brother to hang around with, he filled the position at some moments.  
  
"Matt?" A somewhat angry Dannie approached. "I just had an interesting conversation with your mother." Matt rolled his eyes, as if he knew what she would say next. The smirk on her face made me realize the anger before was just a joke between the two. "So you went and got yourself grounded and your mom wants me to walk you home, to make sure you go STRAIGHT home."  
  
"Matt what did you do this time?" Matt had been known to pull some creative pranks in the past, which usually resulted in punishment from his mom. The tricks were always to Lizzie, so I knew that he had pulled something to Lizzie, but I just wasn't sure what it was.  
  
Matt tried to appear innocent, but failed miserably. "What? It wasn't anything bad. I just switched Lizzie's shampoo with chocolate syrup. I thought it was a better switch." He giggled.  
  
Although it was a funny stunt, I knew Lizzie would be upset about it and complain for sometime. I rolled my eyes in anger, while Dannie gave Matt a high-five and congratulated, "Classic."  
  
"You condone this kind of behavior?!"  
  
"Condone it? Dannie told me to do it."  
  
Dannie shook her head with a smile. "I never told him to do it. I just told him what I used to do to my older sister, before she left for college that is."  
  
Dannie's older sister, Marie, was around 6 or 7 years older than her and hardly around while we were growing up.  
  
"He wouldn't understand, Dannie." Matt broke my thoughts of Marie with his absurd notion.  
  
"I wouldn't understand what?"  
  
Matt looked to Dannie then towards me once more. "The younger siblings right to pull pranks on the other one. It's like an unwritten rule. Since you're an only child, you..."  
  
"Umm.... Matt, I think its time I take you home." Dannie stopped Matt in mid sentence and rushed off, leaving me there, with nothing but my thoughts.  
  
___________  
  
  
  
I stepped through my front door at five past five. After returning to reality on the field, I quickly headed home. There was a note on the kitchen and message on the machine. Mom and Dad were both working late, like they did every night.  
  
Looking around the empty house, with Matt's final words replaying in my mind, I noticed there were no pictures of him up anymore. It was as if he was never there, as if he didn't just leave, he never existed.  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
  
  
Ten-year-old Gordo sat down, once again, in the uncomfortable chair. There was no one else around, which made things worse for him. He fidgeted around, trying to get his mind off of it, but it didn't help. He peered through the glass that separated them and felt a tear begin fall as he thought back to only an hour before.  
  
Gordo was sitting down to dinner with his mother and father. There was no fighting or awkward silence, just happiness. When the phone had rung, he thought nothing of it, but when he saw the tears in his mother's eyes, he knew something had happened. Before he knew it, they were rushing towards the hospital in great panic and still, no one had informed this little boy of the terrible news. It wasn't as if the parents forgot about him, the news was just too much to bare for them.  
  
As Gordo looked through that glass window and saw the doctors working, struggling to keep that young man alive, he knew why those tears had found his mothers eyes. The young man, only 17, didn't deserve this punishment, this pain. Gordo wanted so much to close his eyes and make everything better once again, to touch this young man and make him wake from his slumber cause by pain, but soon he found that to be impossible.  
  
Looking around the hallway, Gordo saw that his parents were no longer there. They needed to escape the site and went to the waiting room. As he sat back down, he thought that "Waiting Room" was the most appropriate name that could have been given. For in a Waiting Room, you wait for good news or bad, for success or not, and for life.... or death.  
  
TO BE COMTINUED...  
  
NOTE TO READERS: I updated, here you go. Tell me what you think. Thanks to all who reviewed so far and to all who have read it. 


	5. What Did Happened

NOTE TO READERS: Hey there all. Thanks for reviewing. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, it was hard to think of what to do next, and, as some of you know, I was working hard on the 14th chapter to "You've Got Me, Baby." Well, tell what you think, oh and I plan on updating soon, but I'm looking for some ideas for this story and for "You've Got Me, Baby." Well, note or email me at Llisa025@aol.com with your thoughts.  
  
  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Gordon?" Gordo watched in suspense, as a worried doctor called for his parents. Just on cue, his mother and father entered the small hallway. Unable to speak, they nodded when their names were called and approached the doctor.  
  
"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon," the doctor began. "The car hit the telephone pole on the drivers side, Steve's seat. We were able to remove all the glass from his right arm, and were able to repair his ribs. Unfortunately, there was severe damage done to his brain. We tried our best to revive him," Time seemed to stop for that one-second pause. "but we were unsuccessful. I'm sorry." With that he left.  
  
Soon all three of them retrieved to the hospital room, leaving Gordo all alone, once again. The tears soon came, and once there, there was no stopping them. He sat back down, covered his face with his hands, and cried. He cried for the pain his parent's felt, the pain Steve must have felt, and for the pain he, himself, would forever endure from the gap in his life. The gap in his heart, for which his brother used to fill.  
  
***********  
  
The tears from the past, surfaced on my face just then. After that terrible time, everything changed. Mom and Dad began working, day and night, night and day. The dinner's we used to have together, turned it to microwaveable dinner's for one. Steve's name was never spoken of again, for it was too hard to relive that night so long ago.  
  
Dannie was the only one to whom I mentioned it too. She was my best and only true friend at the time. Lizzie, Kate, and Miranda never even knew there was a brother in my life. Although I loved him, there never seemed a reason to mention him. There was no reason to tell them; we weren't close like Miranda, Lizzie, and I are now, but still the tale hasn't left my lips and touched their ears, though I am unsure why.  
  
The tears were never ending now, as I continued thinking to the past. The feelings, so deeply locked away for years, wouldn't retrieve back down to where I wished they would remain, forever.  
  
Making my way to the fridge and then to the microwave, I reheated some chicken, rice, corn, and prepared for another meal alone, with nothing but the picture of Steve lying in that hospital bed and Matt's innocent words in my head, "Since you're an only child..." kept repeating in my head, over and over. Oh, too be an only child, then I would never know the pain I felt so often, the pain that killed me inside and out.  
  
  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: Well, I know its short, but I updated just yesterday, and this is just a continuation of that chapter. Just to sum things up a little. I've been noted a lot about questions of things to come or things I have mentioned that happened in the past (for example: Why does Lizzie and Miranda hate Dannie) well if you want to know the answer to this question and others you will just have to keep reading. 


	6. Last Night

NOTE TO READERS: Ok here it is, the next chapter. Tell me what you think.  
  
"I can't believe that!"  
  
There was too much going through my mind at the time to listen to Miranda and Lizzie's chatter about the recent gossip floating through Hilrage High. While their night was spent chatting on the phone, mine was spent having reoccurring dreams of Steve, lying in that hospital bed. Then waking up in a cold sweat, only to fall asleep once more to repeat the vicious cycle.  
  
"Are you sure it was Dannie?"  
  
Miranda's voice snapped me into the conversation and before I knew if, I had joined in, "Wait, are you sure who was Dannie, Lizzie?"  
  
"Have you been paying attention at all?" Lizzie sighed and caught me up to what they had been discussing. "I said, last night Dannie showed up on my front porch with my brother, my brother of all people. OH, did I tell you what he did to...."  
  
"LIZZIE!" The harsh and loud tone to my voice was uncontrollable at the time. As I spotted her shaking, I knew she was scared. Smiling weakly to break the tension and changing to my usual, unemotional tone, I spoke, "Sorry, I'm a little irritated today. My parents decided to keep me up late giving my another talk from a parenting book." It seemed to do the trick. "Could you please just stick to what happened with Dannie?"  
  
"Well, as I was saying, Dannie showed up last night. She said she was like Matt's coach now or something. Anyway, I didn't expect her or anything. If I knew she was coming I probably would have prepared myself, but I just had to let my feelings out about her. I just couldn't take it anymore."  
  
Although Lizzie was still continuing with her tale, I ran to find Dannie. I knew Lizzie's comments, whatever they might have been, would hurt Dannie in more ways than one. She was there for me all those years ago, now she needed me to be there, for her.  
  
"Dannie.... there.... you...are." I panted after reaching Dannie's opened locker. Immediately the locker door slammed shut.  
  
  
  
Dannie didn't even bother to look up, but I could see a tear fall down her cheek.  
  
"Dannie, I'm sorry, deeply sorry, for whatever happened yesterday. I...."  
  
"I'm such an idiot." Dannie mumbled, keeping her vision locked to the tile floor.  
  
"What? No, you're not." She finally looked up at this. Her eyes were red from a night of crying and her messy hair was partially covering her face.  
  
"I'm an idiot to think that things would change. You could've warned me that they knew who I was." Tears fell down her cheeks as her voice became angry.  
  
"I didn't think it would have matter too much."  
  
Dannie seemed furious now. "Didn't think it mattered?! How could it not matter? Don't you remember what happened? What, did you think that they would forgive and forget?" Her breaths were fast and rasping, until she whispered, "I was stupid to believe they would." Then she stormed away, but not before letting a single tear fall from her cheek.  
  
Standing there, alone, made me realize that I did want things to be forgiven and forgotten between them. Things would have been much easier if Lizzie, Miranda, Dannie, and even Kate were made to forget, not to dwell. To dwell on an event that happened so long ago, so far in the past, would seem stupid to the outsiders' eye, but, in truth, it was the most life- changing event in our little lives.  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: Ok, I'm thinking that the next chapter will be a flashback to why everyone is fighting, but I'm not 100% sure. 


	7. Unemotional

NOTE TO READERS: Ok here it is, the next chapter. ENJOY!  
  
*********  
  
"Gordo! Gordo, where are you?"  
  
Ten-year-old Dannie had been searching for her best friend for over a half an hour without any luck. They were supposed to meet right after school like they always did and walk home together, but lately Gordo had been ducking out of it. She didn't blame Gordo, she knew about his tough time dealing with Steve's "departure," which was only two months ago.  
  
Finally Dannie reached the tree house behind Gordo's house. They had built it before they entered 4th grade, the previous summer and it was there special place. They weren't skilled builders, which was obvious from the crooked stature of it, but that didn't matter to them. She spotted Gordo's legs dangling out the side of the tree house. She quickly made her way up the rope latter, only to find her best friend in a sullen state.  
  
"Hey Gordo." Dannie sat down beside him offering as much comfort as she could.  
  
"It's weird. When you're little you believe the world is just one big happy place, not filled with hurt, pain," He gulped, let a tear roll down his cheek and continued, "or death. You think that life will be perfect forever, never worrying, only living in the moment." Once again Gordo paused slightly and began speaking again, not even looking at Dannie, but into the distance at nothing in particular. "Then you grow up and you fill with emotions that you never even knew existed. When your young, all you want to do is grow up, then you grow up and all you want.is to go back to the state you long for all your days and nights, to be young once more."  
  
Dannie looked away from him, saddened. She didn't find Gordo's tone or statement strange, she was quite used to it by now. It seemed ever since he saw Steve lying, lifelessly, he philosophized every part of life. Although he was only ten, he had grown so much in just 2 months. Gordo seldom held any emotion, but distance from the world.  
  
"Gordo, did something happen today?" Dannie returned her eyes to Gordo, hoping she could get any sign of life out of him.  
  
"Something happens everyday." Gordo simply said. "Did you know Miranda's birthday is on Friday? Only five days until then and she hands out the invitations today." There was another pause as Dannie began to give up. "One day you think you know who you're friends are, and the next, everything changes. She invited our whole class, it's supposed to be another adolescent party for the ages."  
  
Dannie hadn't been invited to the party, although she heard talk about it all over the class. She figured she was the only one, until Gordo added that he wasn't invited either. Although Miranda wasn't as close to him as Dannie was, they were still friends. In past years Miranda had invited him and he would go, but only if he could bring Dannie along with him. For one night it would seem as if Miranda, Lizzie, Kate, Gordo, and Dannie were best friends. Then school would start on Monday and they wouldn't speak again. It wasn't as if they hated each other, they just didn't seem the need to combine their two groups together.  
  
Gordo soon began talking once more, still showing no more emotion, "Miranda was talking to Kate and Lizzie today about the party. They didn't notice the curly haired boy behind them. They feel that I was acting to odd the last few months and thought it better for all if I didn't show."  
  
"Thought you were acting odd! Maybe they should be a little more considerate. It's only been two." Dannie was furious at this, but contained herself before speaking once more. "Sorry, never mind."  
  
Dannie knew best by now not to bring up that topic, it was too much pain for Gordo and she wanted to do anything possible to make him hurt less. Still, she thought Miranda and the rest of them deserved punishment for what they did.  
  
"Gordo, how would you feel about a little.." She began, this time looking straight at his face, which was still turned towards the sky. "REVENGE!" At this, Gordo looked directly into Dannie's eyes. Then showed Dannie something he hadn't shown to anyone is a long time, his smile.  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: Don't worry; this isn't the end of the flashback. This is only the beginning; soon you will know the complete reason. If you don't like this for some reason, please let me know (I wrote this chapter at 3am). 


	8. Preperation

NOTE TO READERS: Ok here's more of the story. EMJOY!  
  
With only 3 hours until Miranda's party everyone was getting ready to have the time of their lives, everyone except two devious ten-year-olds on a mission. Dannie and Gordo had been planning their revenge day and night, night and day for the past 4 days and tonight they would release it on the world.  
  
"OK, so you know what you have to do, right?" Dannie questioned Gordo, making sure there were no flaws. "Lets go over it again so we have it perfect."  
  
Dannie seemed to be the brains of the operation, but she didn't mind. She was ecstatic that Gordo was actually there, emotionally as well as physically. Besides the fact that Gordo was still quite quiet, it was as if nothing changed in the past two months.  
  
Gordo nodded in approval as Dannie finished retelling the plan for a fifth time that day. Overtime there was something she felt needed to be added or changed and overtime Gordo agreed with a simple nod.  
  
_________  
  
The party got off to a good start. There were balloons and streamers everywhere and hanging right above the main stairs in the living room was a bright banner that read "Happy 10th Birthday, Miranda." Miranda sparkled in her brand new shirt she had begged her parents for. When she had opened her gift before the party she screamed with excitement when the wrapping paper had torn away to reveal the pink T-shirt, with a golden grown in the middle, and underneath it read "Little Princess."  
  
While Miranda greeted guests at the door, the two devious ten-year-olds hid behind a rock behind Miranda's house.  
  
"Gordo, are you ready?" Gordo had been to Miranda's house many times and knew it much better than Dannie ever would. Most of the plan depended on his memory, since almost all of it involved actually being inside Miranda's house. Gordo finally nodded and the proceeded on.  
  
"OK, Gordo, now you know what you have to do, right?" Dannie asked as they reached the window into Miranda's basement. It was easy to open, since the lock was broken, as Gordo had said. When Gordo didn't respond, Dannie knew that even with the hours of planning, he wouldn't be able to accomplish the task at hand, so she took the insinuative. "OK, new plan, I'll go in, you go back to the rock and keep watch." Before Gordo could object Dannie jumped, feet first, into the window.  
  
Unfortunately, she didn't know where she was going and bumped into the wall while looking for a light switch. Eventually she found the stairs and headed up. From what Gordo had told Dannie, these stairs were the back ones and hardly anyone in the house used them. After passing the first floor and going straight to the second, Dannie hurried towards the top of the main stairs, making sure too duck out of sight of any guests. Luckily everyone was downstairs, just arriving, and soon moved along towards the kitchen and away from the stairs. From previous parties she had attended, Dannie knew that after dinner and cake the gifts were opened in the living room, so everything needed to be set before the guests finished eating. After finishing all the work on the second floor, Dannie took a deep breath because the next part of the plan was the most life threatening. As quietly as possible she crept down the main stairs, happy that she left her shoes by the back stairs so as not to track mud on the white carpet. Finally she reached the pile of presents and placed one more to it, took one more breath and headed back up the main stairs, then down the back ones, and out the basement window.  
  
"Everything's in position." Dannie whispered when she reached Gordo behind the rock. He gave her a thumbs up and handed her a pair of binoculars.  
  
With everything in place all Gordo and Dannie needed to do was watch and wait for everyone to return to the living room. They had a perfect view of the room through a window. After about an hour Miranda and the rest of the party entered the living room.  
  
Gordo smirked and said in an evil, but appropriate, tone, "Let the games begin!"  
  
ANOTHER NOTE: OK, well, the flashback isn't completely over. Don't worry, I'll try not to take so long to update. 


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